Leg stabilizer for skiers



April 22,1969 D. F. CHURCHES 3,439,387

LEG STABILIZER FOR SKIERS Filed Oct. ;26, 1967 :L g Zi l INVENTOR. Dave F. Churches mm/w A ffor neys United States Patent Office 3,439,387 Patented Apr. 22, 1969 3,439,387 LEG STABILIZER FOR SKIERS Dave F. Churches, Rte. 1, Box 509, Golden, Colo. 80401 Filed Oct. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 678,238 Int. Cl. A63c 11/00 US. Cl. 24-73 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A leg stabilizer for assisting a skier to hold his feet together while skiing, wherein the stabilizer disclosed includes a pair of straps adapted to be buckled about the skiers ankles, an elastic tubular'snub between the straps, permanently connected to one strap and connected to the other strap by a frictional break-away consisting of a finger which is threaded into the end of the tubular snub.

This invention relates to ski apparatus, and more particularly to skiing aids, a primary object of the invention being to provide a novel and improved leg restraining device to assist a skier to control his maneuvers and improve his form. As such, the invention will be hereinafter referred to as a leg stabilizer for skiers.

A universal problem for the beginner skier resides in the fact that in attempting to control his skis, it is diflicult (for him to maintain a proper body stance, keeping his legs close together and his knees flexed in a comfortable, balanced position. Only with continuous practice and instruction is a skier able to traverse a slope and maneuver about a course in good body form and balance. One of the most difficult problems a beginner skier experiences is in controlling the spacing of his feet in a manner in which he is not used to, and this problem will continue as he becomes more proficient and commences to execute more difficult maneuvers and especially sharp turns. In order to assist a beginner skier in holding his legs together and to acquire a proper stance, he may tie his ankles together with a short rope, strap or whatever may be handy. However, such expedients are not desirable because, should the skier fall, he must untie himself before he can get up and also, such a tie can create a safety hazard restraining the movements of the skier in such a manner as to cause a serious injury. Such an expedient is very limited in its application because the tie will render many ordinary and sometimes necessary maneuvers with the skis impossible, such as, for example, a snowplow.

The present invention was conceived and developed with such and other considerations in view, and it comprises, in essence, a leg stabilizer formed as an elastic snub adapted to be secured to and between the ankles of the skier to permit an unrestrained freedom of movement of the skiers feet and legs when he is in proper stance and form with his feet spaced close together, and to resiliently resist but not prevent leg movements where his feet are spread apart.

Accordingly, another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved leg stabilizer for a skier which employs an elastic snub to assist a beginner skier to keep his feet and legs together and his knees slightly flexed to a proper stance for skiing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved leg stabilizer for a skier which resiliently restrains but does not prevent a skier from taking large steps or spreading his feet apart whenever necessary, and actually assists a beginner skier in performing such maneuvers such as a snowplow where a leg spread is necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved leg stabilizer for a skier which employs an elastic snub to hold the skiers legs closely together to help him maintain good form, but which will break apart should the skier have to spread his legs apart as during a fall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved leg stabilizer for a skier which employs an elastic snub to hold a skiers legs closely together, but which may be easily adjusted to break apart in an emergency with a slight or moderate force, as desired, and which can be easily reconnected thereafter for continued use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved leg stabilizer for a skier which is adapted to advantageously assist skiers of intermediate and ad vanced ability in maintaining and improving their form while traversing slopes and making difiicult turns and other maneuvers where it is desirable for the skier to keep his legs closely together throughout an entire maneuver.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved leg stabilizer which may be used in sports other than skiing where leg-spread exercises and running are important, which is a simple, easily donned unit, and which is a neat appearing, low-cost, rugged and durable item.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements as hereinafter described, defined in the appended claims, and illustrated in preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the legs of a skier with the improved stabilizer fastened to his ankles.

FIGURE 2. is a small-scale view of a skier positioned for a common snowplow maneuver illustrating the manner in which the stabilizer may be stretched when necessary.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the stabilizer per se.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, sectional detail, as taken from the indicatedline 44 at FIG. 3, but on an enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the improved leg stabilizer 20 combines a pair of ankle straps 21 with an elastic snub 22 fastened between them. The length of this snub may be varied to suit the individual skiers desire, and it is contemplated that it can be provided :as a unit approximately 18-inches long and thereafter cut to a shorter length which may be as short as 6 inches, for an experienced skier.

Each ankle strap 21 is of leather or of any other suitable type of web material and is of suflicient length to easily wrap about a skiers ankle as in the manner illustrated at FIG. 1. One end of each strap is formed as a loop 23 which is secured with a rivet 24 or by stitching or the like. A buckle 25 of any suitable type such as the lock-slot type illustrated, is mounted in this loop 23 for connection with the opposite end of the strap when the strap is fastened to the wearers ankle. To complete the strap construction, a connector ring 26 is secured to each strap 21 by threading the ring 26 onto the loop 23 adjacent to the buckle 25, each ring being attached to an end of the snub 22.

The elastic snub 22 is secured to the two ankle straps with a permanent connection at one ring 26, and a breakaway connection at the other ring 26a to permit a separation of the straps 21 in case of an emergency. The end of this snub 22, permanently aflixed to an ankle strap ring 26, may be so fastened in any suitable manner as by slitting the wall of the tube near its end and threading the other end of the tube into this slit to provide a tight loop 27 upon the connector ring 26. The snub 22 may be formed of any suitable elastic material such as rubber, or a synthetic resin elastorner such as polyurethane. This snub is preferably in the form of a tube,

inch to /2 inch in diameter, capable of resisting a force of approximately 50 pounds and of stretching to approximately three or four times its length. A number of types of elastic tubes are easily available which are suitable for the purpose.

The end of the snub 22 which is adapted to separate from the ankle strap, is frictionally connected with a cylindrical finger 28 attached to the ankle strap ring 26a. This finger 28, having a diameter larger than the inside diameter of the tube, is formed as a smooth-surfaced member having a longitudinal slit 29 at one end which extends to an enlargement forming a socket 30 near the opposite end. The ring 26a extends through this socket 30 to connect the finger on the ring. The opposite end of the finger has a rounded edge 31 to facilitate slipping the tube 22 upon it. To complete the finger, a circumferential groove is formed about a median portion thereof to better hold the tube upon the finger.

It follows that the connection of the snub tube 22 is by a frictional fit upon the finger 28. The larger diameter finger requires that the tube be stretched to attain this fit, however, such is easily accomplished by wetting the finger and inside of the tube so that the tube will easily slip into position. However, shortly thereafter, it will dry and the finger will tightly grip the tube, permitting it to release only with a substantial pull. The force required to separate the tube from the finger may actually be varied by the extent to which the tube is threaded upon the finger. If a light separation force is desired, the tube may be threaded upon the finger only a short distance whereas if a greater force is desired, it may be fully threaded upon the finger and over the groove as illustrated at FIG. 4.

I claim:

1. A leg stabilizer for skiers adapted to assist a skier to hold his legs together, and comprising: a resilient snub, a leg connector means at each end of the snub, and a break-away means between the snub and one of the leg connector means adapted to separate the snub from the leg connector means responsive to an excessive stretch of the snub.

2. In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein the snub is tubular.

3. In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein an end of the snub is secured to a ring and where the leg connector means comprises a strap having a loop at one end, a buckle in the loop and with said ring being also carried in the loop.

4. In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein the snub is a tube of rubber-like material and wherein the break-away means comprises a finger connected to the leg connector means having a diameter greater than the inside diameter of the tube with the tube being adapted to be stretched to be threaded upon the finger.

5. In the organization defined in claim 1, wherein said break-away means comprises a member adapted to connect with the snub with a frictional grip between the two members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,545,543 3/1951 Bottrill. 2,933,324 4/1960 Stimler.

FOREIGN PATENTS 185,703 10/1936 Switzerland. 309,592 11/1955 Switzerland.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 2801l.37 

